Our Programs

Lend A Hand Society’s mission is to support families and individuals who are in need in the Greater Boston area. Lend A Hand makes grants in three program areas. 

Emergency Financial Assistance

Providing emergency financial grants in a dignified and timely manner for basic life necessities helps people before their situation spirals downward.

Lend A Hand Society works in partnership with case managers and advocates from Greater Boston area nonprofit organizations, including hospitals, homeless shelters, legal aid services, domestic violence programs and other human service agencies who apply on behalf of their clients.

Partner agency case managers and advocates apply on the Lend A Hand Society website on behalf of their clients for financial assistance for rent, utilities, medical supplies and equipment, eyeglasses and other necessities.

Lend A Hand Society’s donation-funded, emergency financial grants support:

Housing

  • Rental assistance to prevent homelessness
  • Security deposits to help secure and move into apartments, often from homeless shelters

Utilities

  • Gas, oil, and electric bill assistance to prevent utility shut offs
  • Payment of overdue utility bills to have service restored

Medical and Dental 

  • Wheelchair repair for elderly or disabled individuals
  • Walkers for elderly or disabled people
  • Shower chairs and other medical equipment to allow compromised people to stay in their own homes
  • Eyeglasses for seniors and other vision impaired individuals 
  • Dental bill assistance
  • Prostheses for patients leaving hospitals after surgery

Education and Job Training

  • ID cards for people seeking employment after completing job training programs

Camperships

Grants to nonprofit camping agencies provide scholarships for children and teenagers. Most camperships are for inner city youth who benefit tremendously from the opportunity to attend creative, educational, recreational and nurturing camps outside the city.

Book Mission

Grants are made to nonprofit organizations, schools and colleges for the purchase of books for their lending libraries and educational programs for children and adults to promote literacy and the love of books.